“They used to be better behaved than they are now. But our father was very strict in the old ways. Jasper would rather die than hurt a woman. Not after everything he’s seen growing up.”
Father?“You’re…you’re…his sister?”
Reesa stared at me and puzzled she asked, “Who did you think I was?”
My cheeks burned with embarrassment. “You don’t want to know,” I said softly.
Reesa burst out laughing. “Lovers? You thought we were lovers? Oh, my God. That’s hilarious.”
Not so much. I thought back to last night. Even in my dreams I had battled kissing him or knocking him on his ass for cheating on sweet Reesa. I couldn’t help but join Reesa, who was practically doubled over holding her sides. But as I laughed, I winced in pain.
“Ouch… Stop….it…. hurts….” I said, tears coming down my cheeks.
The kitchen door burst open, and Jasper rushed in, fist clenched and ready to attack. “What’s wrong?” he barked.
“Alysa…. thought we….” Reesa choked.
No. Don’t say it.I didn’t need him to know, too. It was bad enough Burke had been listening. God, I’m such an idiot.
“What did she think?” he snapped angrily.
Obviously he didn’t like being left out. But Reesa finally got the last word out and if I wasn’t in so much pain, I’d have crawled under the table. “…were lovers!”
Even through the tears I could see Jasper was not pleased. His tone confirmed it. “You should not have said anything.”
The lighthearted moment was gone and Reesa quieted down. In a soft tone she said, “I’m sorry. It just slipped out.”
I saw no harm in what she’d told me. “So what, you’re related. You act as though it’s a huge secret.”
“It is,” he said. “Reesa, do you know what you’ve done?” Reesa nodded and her eyes welled up. He was relentless. “You should cry. The damage is done and cannot be undone. All this for nothing,” he growled.
I couldn’t stand watching him tear into her. I stood up and walked over to Reesa, putting my hand on her shoulder. “Stop yelling at her. It really was nothing. And if anything, it was my fault for asking so many questions.”
“Careful, LaHouse,” warned Burke in my ear. “You’re rattling the cage of a pissed-off bear.”
Don’t I know it.But I was standing up for what was right.
“Mind your business. Which you should’ve done in the first place. Then none of this would even be an issue now,” Jasper said to me.
I couldn’t fix what I didn’t know was broken. All I knew was there was a major breakdown between these two siblings and Reesa was devastated about it. Calmly I said, “Jasper, why don’t you sit down and we can talk about this…quietly?” To me it was a great suggestion. It would buy me some time to think about what to say next. Jasper didn’t like my idea at all.
“Why don’t you go to your room and leave me and Reesa alone,” he retorted.
“Not your battle,” Burke said.
Yes, it is. “I’m not going anywhere until you two talk it out.”
Jasper’s jaw tensed. He seemed more likely to thrash someone than to hold a civil conversation. Although Reesa said he’d never hit a woman, at this moment, I wasn’t so sure. Guess I’m about to test that theory.
I walked over and touched his clenched fist. Looked up at him and pleaded, “Jasper, please, sit and talk to her, talk to me. Help me understand why what I did was wrong.”
His heart was pounding so fiercely I could hear it. Jasper looked down at me and slowly his nostrils relaxed, and his breathing calmed. I didn’t let go of his hand until his fingers loosened.
I walked around the table and sat in the seat that was between Jasper and Reesa and waited for him to join us.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, LaHouse,” Burke said.
Me too.